Siding cutter and gage



. (No Model.)

T. W. PURDY. SIDING CUTTER-AND GAGE.

No. 538,122. Patented Apr. 23, 1895.

7 Q WITNESSES: z 3 21 31 INVENTOH 20 J0- 21 ,aflww- 19. 12 7 7 15 1 ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. PURDY, OF LINK, OHIO.

.SIDING CUTTER AND GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,122, dated April 28, 1895.

.Epplication filed July 30, 1894.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. PURDY, of Link, in the county of Paulding and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Siding Cutter and Gage, of which the following is a, full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of devices which are used in laying siding boards on buildings; and the object of my invention is to produce a simple, strong and easily operated device, which can be conveniently clamped to a window casing or the corner board of a building, which is adapted to squarely cut off the end of a siding board, and which is also adapted to serve as a gage so as to indicate how a board shall be laid to overlap one previously laid, to the necessary extent.

To these ends my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figuresof reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of the machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig.3 is an end view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the bearing block or die which is placed opposite the knife.

The device or machine is provided with a frame 10, which is of a general U shape formed of a bar bent to the proper shape, and this, at one end, has an extension 11 which carries the gage and lever to be hereinafter described. To opposite ends of the bent portion of the frame are secured, by means of the curved bolts 12, the hook plates 13 which, at one end terminate in hooks 14 to engage one side of a corner board or window casing, and the opposite ends of the plates terminate in sleeves 15 in which slide the bars 16 carryin g blades 17, which are arranged opposite the hooks 14 and are movable in and out in relation to the hooks, so that the device just described forms a clamp adapted to be secured to a board, as specified, and as such a clamp is provided at each end of the machine, it will erial Nth-518,961- (No model.)

be seen that the machine may be firmly fastened in place.

The slide bars 16 and their blades 17 are carried by the U-shaped lever 18, the ends of which are pivoted to the bars, and this lever is fulcrumed on a link 19 which is pivoted on one of the curved bolts 12, and the lever 18 is pressed by a strong spring 20 so as to normally hold the clamp closed, that is, to hold the blades 17 pressed toward the hooks 14.

The spring 20 is adjustable, so that the right tension may be produced, and to this end the spring is composed of two similar bent portions 21, the outer ends of which are pivoted to the bolts 12 and the bolts 18 which serve to fasten the lever 18 to the bars 16, while the inner ends of the pieces 21 overlap, as shownin Fig. 3, and are held together by bolts 22 which extend through slots 23 in the said pieces 'or members of the spring. It will thus be seen that by swinging the lever 18 against the tension of the spring 20 the clamps may be opened, the blades 17 moving out from' the hooks 14, but when the lever is released the spring forces the blades back and the device is thus held on the board to which the clamps are fixed.

Secured to one end of the frame 10 in alignment with the extension 11 of the frame, is an arm 24, which has, at one end, a bearing block or die 25 with an outwardly projecting portion 26, which is adapted to engage one edge of a corner board or casing so as to assist in holding the machine in-place or at least in guiding it to place, and the die is split, as shown at 27, to receive the edge of the sliding knife 28 which is held normally at the opposite end of the frame 10 and is adapted to move across the frame to the die 25 and cut ofi a siding board which may be straddled by the frame.

The knife 28 is carried by and secured to a head 29 which slides on the back of the frame 10, and this head has a'guide shank 30 which moves in a keeper or slideway '31 on one end of the frame 10, and thus the head and knife are steadied and guided in their movements. The knife head 29 connects, by means of links 32, with the curved lever 33, as shown in Fig. 1, which lever is fulcrumed on the extension 11 of the frame, as shown at 34, and is curved so as to swing over the back of the frame 10.

It will be seen that by swinging the lever up and down, the knife blade and knife may be reeiprocated and the knife drawn forcibly across a siding board so as to cutoff the same.

011 the extension 11 of the frame is a sliding gage 35 which has an edge 36 adapted to indicate the point at which the upper edge of a siding board is to be laid, thus regulating the extent which the said board shall overlap the one previously laid, and the gage is held in place by a thumb screw 37 which projects through one side of the gage and impinges on the extension 11.

The device is used by clamping it to a corner board or window casing so that the frame will straddle the siding board to be cut off, the board lying between the knife 28 and the die 25, and then by working the lever 33 the knife is forced across the board so as to cut it off, and the gage 35 indicates where the edge of the next board is to come.

It will be observed that as the clamps of the machine are spring-actuated, the device may be instantly applied to a corner board or window casing, and as the knife is also quickly worked, the machine greatly facilitates the rapid and accurate laying and cutting of siding boards.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A machine of the kind described, comprising a supporting frame, open on one side, fastening devices to secure the frame to a building, a die on one side of the opening, a knife to travel across the opening opposite the die, and a lever to work the knife, substantially as described.

2. A device of the kind described, comprising a frame having an open side, spring-actuated clamps to secure the frame to a building, a die held near one end of the frame on the open side thereof, a knife arranged to slide opposite the die, and a lever to work theknife, substantially as described.

3. A device of the kind described, comprising an open sided frame, clamps secured to the frame near opposite ends, each clamp comprising a plate terminating at one end in a book, a sleeve on the plate, a slide bar in the sleeve and a blade on the slide bar, springs arranged to throw the blades toward the books, a lever for opening the clamp, a die block near one end of the frame and on the open side thereof, a knife arranged to slide opposite the die, and a lever for working the knife, substantially as described.

4-. The combination, with the open sided frame and the clamps for fastening the frame, of the die held in the open side of the frame near one end, the knife head arranged to slide on the back of the frame, a shank secured to the knife head and held to run in a guide keeper, a knife carried by the head and movable opposite the die, and a lever to move the head and knife, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the open sided frame, the clamps to hold the frame in place, andthe die near one end of the frame, of the knife head slidable on the back of the frame, the shank on the knife head, agnide keeper for the shank, a knife carried by the knife head and movable opposite the die, a lever fulcrnmed on one end of the frame, and links connecting the lever and knife head, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the frame having the extension end, the clamping mechanism to hold the frame in place, and the cuttingoff mechanism mounted on the frame, of the gage adjustable on the said extension end of the frame, substantially as described.

THOMAS W. PURDY.

Vitnesses:

SAMUEL T. CONYARETTE, 0. Il. MILLER. 

